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  • ABOUT footwear's think tank

  • Why the Footwear Innovation Foundation exists

    Footwear companies today are increasingly forced to address immediate challenges, leaving little room to explore innovative solutions that meet latent demand or develop transformative business models. To bridge this gap, industry leaders founded the Footwear Innovation Foundation (FIF) in 2023.

    • What we are – The FIF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit scientific research organization. We serve as the pivotal hub for ideation and knowledge exchange, shaping the future of footwear.
    • Mission – Our mission is to champion inventive solutions for pervasive industry-wide challenges. We empower innovators, entrepreneurs, and academics by providing the guidance and resources they need to succeed.

  • Our work and impact

    • Mentoring and Accelerating Innovation – We support groundbreaking ideas, nurturing them from concept to commercialization.
    • Driving Critical Thinking – We foster forward-thinking strategies to address industry hurdles and seize opportunities.
    • Coordinating and Funding R&D – We enable cutting-edge research and development to solve pressing problems.
    • Building New Business Models – We help redefine the way the industry operates to create sustainable growth.
    • Developing Talent Pipelines – We cultivate the next generation of innovators and leaders to ensure the industry’s future success.

    By combining expertise, vision, and resources, the FIF is dedicated to advancing the footwear industry and creating a brighter future for all stakeholders.

  • How we are doing it

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    Supporting and mentoring innovators, entrepreneurs, and academics to fast-track innovation and bring transformative ideas to life.

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    Facilitating collaborative research to drive innovation and solve industry-wide challenges.

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    Funding and launching projects to validate and bring innovative ideas to fruition.

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    Democratizing knowledge by sharing findings and making results accessible to everyone.

  • Guiding principles to how we operate

    • Promote Broad Impact – Prioritize initiatives with potential applications across various footwear categories and with the greatest number of consumers as possible.
    • Deliver Meaningful Impact – Emphasize solutions that bring significant value to both consumers and industry stakeholders.
    • Have Clear Objectives – Develop and select projects with well-defined goals and tangible deliverables over ambiguous endeavors.
    • Embrace Practical Applications – Focus on addressing specific needs within the footwear industry rather than adopting generic cross-industry trends.
    • Adopt a Merit-Based Approach – Collaborate with individuals and organizations based on their ability to contribute to future innovation, prioritizing merit over financial backing or institutional affiliations.
    • Democratize Findings – Commit to sharing our research publicly to spur on new entrepreneurial solutions.
    • Cultivate New Minds and Critical Thinking – Increase the development of fresh perspectives and critical thought inside – and encouraging thought leaders outside – the industry to focus on new footwear applications.
    • Harness Every Good Idea – Recognize the value of worthwhile projects, even if they cannot be immediately pursued, by documenting industry needs and encouraging entrepreneurship to address them effectively.
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